1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attachment structure for motor, especially to an attachment structure for a motor for a toy. The present invention relates to, for example, an attachment structure particularly usefully adapted to a motor which is frequently attached and detached. The present invention also relates to a toy with the attachment structure for a motor and a racing vehicle toy.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, motors serve as power sources in, for example, various toys. The power of the motor is transmitted to actuating parts (in a running toy, they are wheels, or in a robot toy or a doll toy, they are arms and legs) through gear mechanisms.
It is to be noted that when the motor is attached, it is indispensable to employ a structure where the motor does not move relative to a motor attachment portion. The reason is that when the motor moves, for example, the engagement between a motor gear and a gear which meshes thereto becomes incomplete, so that the transmission of the power to the actuating parts becomes insufficient.
Thus, when the motor is attached to the motor attachment portion, while the motor is held tightly by a motor holding plate, the motor is fixed by screwing of the motor holding plate.
With a motor carried in a racing vehicle toy or the like, there is a case that it is preferable to change the motor according to the particular race courses (for example, there are many curves or the like). However, with the toy where the motor holding plate is screwed, because the screw is required to be detached and attached during the exchange of the motor, it is a bother. With a motor to which a conductive wire is adhered, the conductive wire is required to be attached and detached with solder, so that it is much bother.
The present invention is attained in view of such problems. An object of the present invention is to provide an attachment structure for a motor and a toy, such as a racing vehicle toy or the like, wherein it is possible to easily attach a motor thereto and remove therefrom.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, an attachment structure for a motor for a toy, for setting a motor in a motor containing part provided in a base body of a toy, comprises a motor holding plate capable of turning on a predetermined rotational shaft line attached to the base body. The motor holding plate is capable of taking up an open position for opening the motor containing part and a close position for closing the motor containing part by turning. The motor holding plate holds a body part of the motor set in the motor containing part at the close position. The motor holding plate comprises an engaging portion which is capable of engaging with an engage portion provided on the base body with elasticity of the engaging portion or the engage portion when the motor holding plate is disposed at the close position.
The xe2x80x9cbase bodyxe2x80x9d means a portion forming the motor containing part and its vicinity. The base body may comprise only one member, or two or more members combined with each other. The xe2x80x9crotational shaft linexe2x80x9d may extend in a direction parallel to or in a direction crossing (for example, intersecting at right angles) the shaft of the motor set in the motor containing part. Further, the xe2x80x9cengage portionxe2x80x9d may be a projection, an edge of a hole or the like. The point is that the engage portion may be any one such that the engaging piece can engage with the engage portion with elasticity of the engaging piece or the engage portion. The material of the xe2x80x9cmotor holding platexe2x80x9d may be metal or synthetic resin. The xe2x80x9cattachment structure for motor for toyxe2x80x9d may be applied to a vehicle toy, a robot toy, a doll toy or other toys. Although the type of the toy is not limited, the attachment structure is particularly useful when it is applied to a toy of which motor is often exchanged for other ones. The xe2x80x9copening the motor containing partxe2x80x9d does not mean complete opening of the motor containing part, but includes an opening such that the motor can be attached to and removed from the motor containing part. The xe2x80x9cclosing the motor containing partxe2x80x9d does not need to close the whole motor containing part, and includes such a closing as will obstruct the attachment and removal of the motor.
According to the attachment structure for a motor, the motor can be set in the motor containing part by turning the motor holding plate to the open position. Thereafter the motor holding plate is turned to the close position, and the engaging piece is elastically engaged with the engage portion of the base body. Thus the motor can be fixed. On the other hand, when the force is applied to the engaging piece which is elastically engaged with the engage portion of the base body, the engagement is released. Thereafter, the motor holding plate is turned to the open position, so that the motor can be removed from the motor containing part.
With the attachment structure for a motor, it is preferable that the rotational shaft line is parallel to a shaft of the motor set in the motor containing part, and the engage portion is provided on an opposite side of the motor containing part with respect to the rotational shaft line.
According to the attachment structure for a motor, the rotational shaft line of the motor holding plate extends in parallel with the shaft of the motor, so that the periphery of the body part is approximately uniformly held by the motor holding plate. Furthermore, the engage portion is provided on the position which is the opposite side of the motor containing part with respect to the rotational shaft line, so that the motor holding plate holds surely the motor.
It is preferable that the motor holding plate serves as a radiation plate. In order to apply the motor holding plate to the radiation plate, the xe2x80x9cmotor holding platexe2x80x9d is required to be made of material which has high radiation effect. For that purpose, it is preferable that the xe2x80x9cmotor holding platexe2x80x9d is made of metal, such as copper or aluminum. However, the motor holding plate may be made of synthetic resin or the like (for example, ABS resin) if it has a form with high radiation effect.
According to the attachment structure, the motor holding plate serves as the radiation plate, so that there is no need to set extra radiation plate and radiation mechanism in the attachment structure.
With the attachment structure for a motor for a toy, the motor may be a DC motor where terminals are provided on a rear side and a body part, the motor containing part may be provided with conductive pieces which may be electrically connected to each of the terminals of the motor, and when the motor is fitted in the motor containing part, the corresponding conductive piece may be electrically connected to each of the terminals.
According to the structure, the conductive pieces which are electrically connected to respective terminals of the motor are set in the motor containing part, so that each terminal of the motor, when the motor is fitted in the motor containing part, is electrically connected to each conductive piece immediately.
The motor may be a DC motor where terminals are provided on a rear side and a body part, and the motor containing part may be provided with a conductive piece which is electrically connected to the terminal on the rear side of the motor. The motor holding plate may be made of conductive material so as to be electrically connected to the terminal on the body part of the motor. The conductive piece may be electrically connected to the terminal on the rear side of the motor when the motor is fitted in the motor containing part. Further, when the motor holding plate is moved to the close position while the motor is set in the motor containing part, the motor holding plate may be electrically connected to the terminal on the body part of the motor.
According to the attachment structure for motor, the conductive piece which is electrically connected to the terminal on the rear side of the motor may be set in the motor containing part, so that the terminal on the rear side of the motor, when the motor is fitted in the motor containing part, may be electrically connected to the conductive piece immediately. Further, when the motor holding plate is moved to the close position while the motor is set in the motor containing part, the motor holding plate may be electrically connected to the terminal on the body part of the motor immediately.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, a toy comprises a base body provided with a battery containing part for containing a battery and a motor containing part for containing a cylindrical motor;
the cylindrical motor contained in the motor containing part; and
a motor holding member capable of turning on a shaft approximately parallel to a rotational shaft of the cylindrical motor, the motor holding member capable of taking up an open position for opening the motor containing part and a close position for closing the motor containing part by the turn, and the motor holding member comprising an engaging portion which is capable of elastically engaging with an engage portion provided on the base body while the engaging portion holds an exposed peripheral portion of the motor set in the motor containing part at the close position.
Preferably, the motor containing part of the base body is provided with a first electrode piece connected to one electrode of the battery at one position with which a peripheral body part of the motor is brought into contact, and a second electrode piece connected to another electrode of the battery at a different position which is insulated to the one position. The motor may be a DC motor, and at least a portion of the peripheral body part may serve as one of positive and negative terminals of the motor.
It is preferable that a rear side of the motor is provided with the other of the positive and negative terminals of the motor, and the motor can be contained in the motor containing part such that the peripheral body part is connected to the first electrode piece while the rear side is connected to the second electrode piece.
According to the toy with the above structure, by turning the motor holding plate to the close position and by elastically engaging the engaging piece with the engage portion of the base body, the motor can be fixed, and at the same time, the positive and negative terminals of the motor can be electrically connected to the pair of electrode pieces.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, a racing vehicle (racing car) toy comprises an attachment structure for a motor for a toy. The attachment structure comprises a motor holding plate capable of turning on a predetermined rotational shaft line attached to the base body. The motor holding plate is capable of taking up an open position for opening the motor containing part and a close position for closing the motor containing part by turning. The motor holding plate holds a body part of the motor set in the motor containing part at the close position. The motor holding plate comprises an engaging portion which, when the motor holding plate is disposed at the close position, is capable of engaging with an engage portion provided on the base body with elasticity of the engaging portion or the engage portion.
According to the racing vehicle toy, the user has only to turn the motor holding plate for exchanging the motor according to the racing course.